Work Text:
August 9th 2003
Max woke up to the sounds of birds coming from outside, singing their songs on a beautiful summer morning. Touching the side Lucas sleeps, she notices it being empty, they had sex the previous night yet he wasn't in bed.
"Lucas?" her voice comes out like a question.
The house felt eerily quiet, no kids talking or laughing, or the smell of cooking.
Wrapping herself in her dressing gown she steps out of the bedroom, sauntering down the hall to Charles' room, opening the door her son isn't in bed which perks her confusions more. She proceeds to Amanda's room and then Lucy's room, neither of them are there either, moving down stairs passed the many family photos she calls the kids names, but no one answers.
The whole of downstairs barren, untouched from the previous night. The only difference she could see was the place where they placed their shoes under the coat rack was empty.
Confused she continues to the kitchen and sees a beautiful bouquet of flowers, colourful flowers of pink, purple, yellow, and blue, on it she sees a white envelope with her name on it.
She proceeds to open it and sees his all familiar writing alongside a photo of the pair from '85.
Dear Max,
Today is a special day, I don't want to take too much of your time because there are plenty more letters to find.
It's been ten years since you agreed to marry me, with all our friends and family there to see us say forever.
This photo is special to me, we had barely started dating and before you wanted to keep breaking up with me (I won eventually). Asking you to be with me was one of the best thing I have done.
I knew I liked you from the moment I saw you, I liked how you just wanted to be yourself, the stubbornness and the brashness. Even when everything was bad you clearly cared enough about us to not want to kill us.
You were so cool, not just because you could ride a skateboard or you played arcade games (which you would destroy us with) but simply your personality.
I love every piece of you, even then.
1985 will always hold a special place in my heart.
You will find the next letter at the arcade, it's next to a bush near the car park.
I look forward to seeing you.
Love, Lucas
She laughs and shakes her head "that doesn't help Lu," she whispers as she goes to grab some toast, spreading some butter lazily over the bread and eating it almost whole.
She quickly got dressed before heading to the arcade, the roads giving way to the bright lights as her mind gets caught into thinking.
"Where are they…" she thinks to herself.
"Goddammit I should have brought the camera," she says to herself before unwilling getting out of the car and soon after staring at different bushes found the next letter.
She opens it whilst looking up at her car, before peering back down at the paper.
Hey Max,
You found it!
This place is pretty sweet huh, many moments happened here, we told you about the Demogorgon, wanting to protect you, many games were played here. Do you remember when we brought El here one time, I still remember her bewilderment over how good you were and how some games were played.
I don't want to be a downer on our special day but it does remind me of Billy, of feeling like you were no longer there. Then I remember you are here today, you never stopped being brave, that's something I admire so much about you.
That year of 86, I couldn't bare the feeling that you could be gone, the arcade no longer felt joyful because you simply weren't there. We got into 87, you still weren't there, If I didn't know I loved you before then, I certainly knew after you were in your coma.
I still feel like we lost what should have been prime time for us, every year since I'm so fucking thankful that you're here and I can tell you that I love you without it being weird. But nonetheless you are here, and I'm so grateful, I want to tell you that I love you every year until we die.
This picture of the arcade was taken the day after you had gone into the hospital and I have kept it for safe keeping ever since, it was raining and I think it represented how I was feelings. But the picture is beautiful because though it was raining, the arcade's colours kept shining.
I think it represents you, how even despite all the shit you had to deal with, you wanted to come out of it happy.
Thank you for giving me the last ten years, but also the last 18 years.
Thank you for being the sweetest woman on this planet, you know, you could have chosen anyone and I think anyone would be happy with you. Sometimes I think about the fact that I'm Black, you're white, our kids as a result have taken on darker and lighter skin and I think how you just chose me despite that, even when you had family who couldn't have cared about me because of the colour of my skin.
It's not been easy, but I'm so glad and happy to be here now.
Now, go to the public library. Your letter is tucked by the stairwell.
I look forward to seeing you.
Love, Lucas
She can already feel the blush coming on, both letters so sweet, she now realises just how weird she probably seems standing on the edge of a car park smiling at a piece of paper. She hurries to her car and drives across town, she ignores the ring of her phone making a mental note to call back whoever it was.
It's a lovely day, the sun shining and it's warm, happy people out on the streets of their no longer small town, she can still tell what used to be what, whether a spa replacing an old music shop, or a Chinese restaurant taking over a Mexican restaurant.
She thinks about the endearing renovation of that particular restaurant, the new owners respecting the Mexican decorations and given a Chinese twist.
It dawns on her that she was approaching the public library where they last saw El, a girl who is no longer with them.
Her body somewhere in the void of space, but she doesn't cry, she doesn't think about it being the final place she saw her.
The building loomed over many of the other buildings, its older architecture still kept intact, she parked partially on the sidewalk, parallel parking almost like a pro. She got out of the car squinting as she forgot her sunglasses, putting her hand over her eyes as she looked at the library.
You couldn't tell the history of destruction that had happened here, only if you knew then you could see it, you could see the marks that still bore themselves.
She spots the letter, taking it and heading into the library, sitting down at a table and opening it up.
To Max,
You might be wondering I brought you here, in fact you know why. I don't know why I said that.
That day we got you back but we lost El.
I can't possibly describe the feelings I felt that day, ever since that I have made sure that I captured and kept the feelings I felt when you woke up and I heard your beautiful voice for the first time in 18 months.
I was so happy and relieved, I could have sung about it, don't laugh I know you will say I'm a dork (you wouldn't be wrong).
It was so scary but having you back and seeing how you've grown from then made it all worth it. Every year since I value every moment as if it would be the last. When you said all you needed was me, I don't know how I felt about that other than joy because I felt the same way.
You being in that coma made me realise how the time we have with people can be short, how when someone is unavailable you think of a million things you want to tell them. That was how I felt about you, I wanted to tell you that I loved you, I wanted to hear about your day, hear how you were feeling and I don't take that for granted anymore.
I know we lost El, but I see her in you and I see her in Lucy, so much that I sometimes think she came back in the form of Lucy. I know she'd be proud of us and I'm proud of us too, I know that if she was here she'd look after the kids while we had our dates, she would have been at our wedding and giving a speech. When we got married I felt like she was missing but I took solace in knowing that you felt the same way too, I was so nervous and I think El would have told me to not be nervous, she would have told me something silly.
This public library became a bit of a hang out spot, stupid books or study book but because of the comic book section, we all would have gone there with her but every time I pick a comic book up, I think of you and her. I miss that you both were friends and this photo of the three of us I cherish. I will cherish it forever.
You know, there's some books here about sex and reproduction, I wanted to add I definitely came here hoping it would help, and it definitely did. Though those books can't take the credit for it.
Anyway, head to Benny's Burgers, food and a milkshake's on me, someone at the counter will give you the next letter.
Love, Lucas
"Dork," she whispers to herself as she gets up to leave, her brain in autopilot as she walks towards her car and heads to the nearer edges of town to the diner.
The newly revamped building has become less like its older counterpart, more modernised and slightly different colour scheme.
"Hey are you Max?" A young girl probably around 19 behind the counter asked.
"Yeah?"
"Your husband left this for you," she flashes the letter at the redhead.
"Oh thanks," she says taking the letter.
"And also you have coupon for free food and a shake, courtesy of your husband," the girl, the nametag reading Melissa said,
"Thank you, erm, I'll just have a small burger with fries and a strawberry milkshake please."
"Coming right up, your husband's very cute by the way, very sweet. Your food should be ready shortly."
Max nods and sets herself down at a table whilst waiting for her food and opened up the next letter.
To Max,
I hope you are enjoying your food. If I could be honest with you for a second, I was always scared we'd never happen.
I was scared that maybe we would just never get to be together, but now I look back on ten years and wonder why I was scared. I don't know why I was scared but now I don't feel that way anymore, I look at you and I'm proud to have been married to you for ten years.
You decided to marry me of all people and I can't stop thinking about how much I love you, it kills me. I think about the way you smile, the way you laugh and the way you take care of yourself, me, and our children.
When Charles was born, I was terrified. I truly was because I knew that we were growing up and this would be a lot of responsibility but we have done it, truly have done it. We have a long way but I'm glad it's you that I can have this life with.
You are my soulmate Max, I hope you never forget that, I could have chosen any photo but I chose this photo of the whole family. All five of us because I'm so proud of this life we have built.
If you ask me, I couldn't have thought of a better person to marry and to spend my life with. To many more decades of this, because I see us being forever because we found each other not because we settled.
Now, there's two letters between us, the next one you will find back at home in our nightstand.
In it I will explain where I am.
But first, have I told you that you look beautiful, because seriously you get more beautiful every day. I'm writing this just watching you watch the TV and I can't stop thinking about how angelic you look.
You are my person, you always be my person.
I never just settled for you, I never settled because I had to have you live at my house from 16 onwards or I had to help you recover in the months after what happened. I chose you because out of anyone in the world, you are the only person I would truly want to bare my soul to.
I may have had to deal with the ugly moments, the days where we thought we wouldn't make it. But I know we can continue to make it through any challenges that come our way.
Asking you to marry me was the best day of my life.
I love you Max,
I look forward to seeing you.
Love, Lucas
She huffs a small laugh, a shy smile plastered on her face that she couldn't get rid of, her food arrives and enjoys the fact she got a free meal out of this adventure.
Feeling satisfied and having paid and tipped it was back towards their home on Marigold Street, their small but cozy family home that they have spent so much love on.
Back where she started, she immediately walks over to her wooden nightstand and opens it up. Laying there was a white envelope with her name.
"Wow," she snorted whilst sitting on the bed. She opens it up and begins reading.
Dear Max
Our home, our life contained within it.
I remember when we moved in, after college and with Charles in tow and two years later Amanda would come into the world.
We've made it ours, seeing your shoes next to mine makes me so happy, our coats hang together complimenting other. What's yours is mine, what's mine is yours and despite all the fights about color schemes, whether we should buy that expensive rug (which I still maintain we shouldn't have bought by the way), we've made it what we wanted, what we dreamt of.
It may not be the high-end LA houses, but who needs that anyway, it's simple, it's small and feels like us, we've never been normal and I think our house represents that. I can't wait to grow old with you in this house, our home, our children will leave but we will stay, our grandchildren will visit us here and will love it all the same.
Moving in with you (don't laugh) was my dream, from the moment I met you. I love that I can see you every day, I love that we can cook together, every single tiny thing we do together because we can.
I think we made the right choice for our family home, and I'm so excited for the future. It's been ten years Max, how has the time gone, how have we been living here for nearly that long.
Waking up beside you every day is something I cherish, because of the time I though we may not have gotten that chance. 1995 when you had to spend a month in the hospital was so scary, it felt like '86 and '87 all over again, but every day I know you are okay. I see you next to me, I get to see your beautiful face as the first and last thing I see.
Our children are the most beautiful children in the world, because they're ours and I'm so happy that we get to have them. I never thought we would get to have them because of everything that happened but I don't take them for granted. I remember that we're special and we can't take that for granted and I love them so much.
I think my mom said it best when she told us to take it all one step at a time, and I think we did that.
This photo of us when we first moved into this house will be special to me because it represented another chapter in our story.
The story of Lucas and Max, and it's a happy one. I hope it stays that way.
If there was anyone I couldn't have been more honoured to love and to be loved by, it would be you.
You know that little village that you like that's just out of town? Go to the little majestic garden, that's where you'll find the next letter.
Looking forward to seeing you
Love, Lucas
She'd get to the village just before the sun would start to set, she grabs the camera and off she goes. Feelings of apprehension and excitement fills her veins as she drives.
The small garden did look beautiful, as she stepped through the boundary of the entryway, she sees tables, tables with people sat around them, a band at the far end.
She walks slowly, it feeling like their wedding all over again and she sees him, standing there near the band. He's in a blue suit and she feels rather inadequate as she's basically threw her clothes on, just a simple sweater and a pair of jeans.
She carries on towards him and he's holding the next letter.
"MAMA," the sound of Lucy's voice echoed.
"Mama you're here," Amanda says coming from one from one of the tables.
The band starts to play their song and all she feels is a lightness, she can't keep her eyes away from Lucas. She can't stop the tears from forcing their way, she saunters over.
"Hey," he whispers.
"Hey yourself," she replies with a slanted smile.
"Here's your next letter."
"Thanks."
She opens it and starts to read out loud.
Dear Max
10 years doesn't feel like a long time, it honestly feels like we've just gotten started. I've been in love with you since I was 13, and I will love you forever, no matter where we are in our lives, if there is one thing I know is that I love you.
Asking you to marry me was scary, but you only have to look around you at the people who have been with us thick and thin and I know that it was the right decision. Every single one of these people have seen us grow, seen you grow, they've seen us have three beautiful children, they've seen us take on the world, we may only be 32 but we've achieved so much in the last 19 years.
You might be wondering, this little garden is connected to the little garden centre that's going to close down, or it was going to close down, and I know how much you love this place. So I guess this is the best time to tell you that we now own it. With the help of our friends with can keep this place and the garden alive, we can keep coming here whenever you want.
That's not all, I have booked us a private concert with the talented Kate Bush.
And one last thing, one day, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not another 10 years. One day I want to renew our vows, I want another wedding day to celebrate us, to celebrate us and so our children can be there.
Why not tell the world I love Max Mayfield a second time, though you know how much I spout that out.
I can't express just how much I care about you, how much seeing you succeed makes me so happy. From feeling so small because of your family to actually being to be yourself, I'll always be proud of you for. I love that you exist, the way that you smile, the way that you laugh, the way you insult me or someone else but it is not even completely an insult because there's so much affection behind it.
You're so strong and I can't stop thinking about that, you do it every day but it's not a mask. You never stopped doing what you want to do, you don't think about what people may think, you just do and I think everyone here can agree to that.
I can't wait for what the future holds for us, to see Charles, Amanda, and Lucy grow up, to eventually retire and be able to do all the bucket list things we've been wanting to do. To the days of adventure, to the days of calm and soft.
I want every day with you Max, I want to love you every single day, I want to hold you every single day, I want to laugh with you every single day. I want the highs and the lows, these ten years have given us a lot of that, but I can't wait for another 30/40/50 years of it.
This letter may be a lot shorter than some of the other letters, but how do you summarise a love that feels endless, a love that exceeds our very plane of existence. How do I summarise the fact that I keep every memory, our photos are the most important thing me.
You're the most beautiful woman with the most beautiful soul.
I love you.
Lucas.
Tears had already filled her eyes when she lifts up off her feet and presses a warm kiss to his lips. Her eyelashes flicker up to his and she sighs deeply, before another kiss to the rousing applaud of their friends and family.
"I love you, every single piece of you," she choked out. "Thank you."
"No, thank you. Thank you for being you."
"I didn't deserve all of this. I didn't even do anything for you."
"I don't need you to do anything for me. So long as you're happy, I'm happy."
"Well that's not fair. Besides, I've got something on this camera for you," she says taking the camera out of her bag.
"Really?"
"Yeah," she nods "I would show you but nowhere to put it."
"Show me later," he smiles as he kisses her again.
"I dunno Sinclair, I think you might be a bit addicted to me."
"Guilty as charged madam."
After an evening of celebrating their anniversary with family and friends and drinking slightly too much that meant Lucas' dad had to drive them home. They sat down and watched the little video that Max had made after they sent the kids to bed.
She snugs into his side, smelling his strong perfume, her arm intertwines with his. He leans his head onto hers, he feels the ends of her hair tickle his cheek, feeling so warm.
It starts with Max in her white vest sitting in the backyard, she stares at the camera before smiling and sighs.
Hi Lucas,
Today is our special day, a very special day. 10 years, I can't describe just how insane that is, to think I have been in love with you for 19 years and married to you for 10, that's something I never would have expected.
You know, I wasn't scared about the wedding or the idea of having a family because, you were you and you are the most amazing person I know.
I can't explain what it's like to feel as if you can chance despite feeling like you can't be emotional? If that makes sense, like I realised that it took time but getting to be in love with someone who cared so much even when it was annoying, it was the best thing, it is because you…let me.
I don't regret kissing you at the Snowball, in fact I remember it a lot. It was the first time I think I was genuinely happy, who would have thought I would still be with the same absolute dork.
I'm so proud and happy that out of anyone I could have been in love with, who I could have given my soul to, it was you. You make every day so bright, I think every day when we're with the kids or when we're together away from them, I think about how lucky I am that you were the person I get to be in love with.
You're caring, you're just so kind and you're always determined for me and for us, and our family.
Even back then when we were kids, I knew you were special. Not because I was just a 13/14 year old who was experiencing her first crush but because I knew, I think I always knew. I knew that you were going to be the boy that would sweep me off my feet, and who I would marry. Like before Neil, and Billy, my mom would talk to me about the knight and a princess, I always imagined some handsome knight that I could fall in love with. Even though it is so weird, I guess you're my knight, not because you saved me, but you're my hero in the way…in the way you just do things without me having to tell you, you love me when I don't feel like I can be. No, I'm definitely am not also calling you very handsome…okay maybe I am, but you get what I mean.
I'm so proud to have experienced the life that we've had so far with you. College, getting married, having kids, going on stupid trips. It has been a maddening rollercoaster that I am so glad you are a part of.
I see you in all our kids and I think that makes me love you and them more. They'll grow up being like their dad, gentle and always being considerate. They'll become the people they should be, which is like you, you know when you're wrong even if you don't want to accept it, you always check up on people and me not because you have to but because it a part of you and to know that my husband, still so weird to say after 10 years, my husband is just the best.
Getting married to you was one of the best days of my life, besides the Snowball, besides when you proposed. I think within all of our vows, I realised I was making the right decision because I was loved, but I got to feel like my own person, you make me feel that way and I don't know how I can possibly explain how that makes me feel.
I could have gotten married to some guy who may have treated me poorly, who may have controlled me, but thankfully you aren't that, you are the best thing to have happened to me Lucas Sinclair.
When we found out that Charlie was coming into the world I was scared, obviously, it was a big change, but I saw you trying to figure out how the fuck to be a good dad, you bought books and you were invested in making sure that the baby had a space. Because of course you did, you took care of me and you were balancing college just like I was, but we did it, because we're a team.
Thank you Lucas for the last ten years of such amazing memories, I hope we get to have so many more. I hope we get to see Charles, Amanda, and Lucy grow up, I want to see us both be old, I want to die with you by my side. You're my life partner, the one I will always want to be in love with and to be loved by.
It's hard explaining just how much you mean to me when even the littlest things remind me of you, whenever I see something, it can be anything…I think of you. Because the love that I feel is infinite.
That day getting to stand in front of all of our friends and our family, to say I do, I will never forget it, every detail will stay with me. From the vows to Dustin running into a pole because he was blackout drunk. When we stood at the alter, I didn't just see us, I saw 13 year old us, I also saw future us. I knew there and then that this was forever.
I love you Lucas.
He doesn't speak for a moment for looking at Max with stars in his eyes, his smile so wide and bright. She's looking back with a giant smile too, and leans in kissing him softly.
"I love you too," he says, his eyes wide as he kisses her putting his arm around her waist, pulling her up further his chest.
"Dork"
"Your dork," he whispered.
They hear the rambling of footsteps coming downstairs "ewww, mom and dad are being gross again," comes Lucy's tiny voice.
"They're always gross come on, lets get cookies," Charles whispered.
"I love cookies," Amanda responses definitely not hearing Lucy's remark.
Both Max and Lucas laugh quietly listening to their kids talking. They assume they think they're sneaky, and so wait until their kids go into the kitchen.
They get up to slowly walk out of the living room, peering down the hall seeing those three small bodies. Like mice they walk down the hall watching the kids looking for the cookies.
"And what's the meaning of this? You're supposed to be in bed!"
Each of the children screech as they hear their mother's loud voice "we thought you didn't hear us!" Charles stammers.
"Like I was born yesterday, these walls are paper thin you remember. Come on, go to bed, all three of you. It's late."
"But it's the weekend!" Amanda cries.
"I don't want three grumpy kids tomorrow, you can have cookies tomorrow."
"I want cookies mama," Lucy's voice so small that it tugs at Max's heart.
"Tomorrow," she says softly.
"Yeah you three, tomorrow, it's late. Don't want you all being tired all day tomorrow after a small rush of sugar," Lucas adds.
"Just one?" Lucy asks, pouting.
"Yeah just one!" Amanda echoed.
Max sighs looking at Lucas who looked back, it was as if they spoke without words "fine, one and then brush your teeth and back to bed, all three of you."
"Yay!"
"Thanks mom!"
"You're the best!"
Their kids say as Max goes to the biscuit tin and gives them one each, one at a time. She smiles watching them ferret their way back upstairs, shaking her head looking at her husband before starting to laugh.
"Wow, they really are our kids," he says walking over to her, wrapping his arms around her.
"Yeah, and I can tell they have your persistence that I unfortunately fall for."
"Well you love me, so I suppose that's allowed," he hums as he kisses her softly, her fingers softly touch his face.
"I do," her eyes dazzle with a million things she wished she could say, looking into his eyes which were the most beautiful thing in the world to her.